Cage Under Control

April 24, 2009|By Marty O'Brien, mobrien@dailypress.com - 247-4963

NEWPORT NEWS — There are almost as many ways to beat an opponent in the octagon as there are styles of fighting: boxing, wrestling, kickboxing and jujitsu being the most popular in mixed martial arts cage fighting.

So, you'd think a guy like George Sheppard - a former state wrestling champion at Menchville High - would lean heavily on his grappling skills for survival in the cage. Not so.

Sheppard, 20, makes his professional debut on the 10-bout CageFest Extreme "All In" card - set for 7 p.m. Saturday at Old Dominion's Constant Center - having knocked out his four amateur opponents with his fists. Credit would-be neighborhood bullies in Denbigh for helping Sheppard develop his punching instincts long before he mastered wrestling.

"My neighborhood, Courthouse Green, was tough," he said. "There were fights all the time and kids shooting at each other.

"When the kids found out I was a wrestler, they'd call me out for a fight to prove themselves. That's how I learned to box."

One kid made the mistake of confronting Sheppard, then 14, as he exited the bus after wrestling practice. Wary of Sheppard's wrestling skill, the kid challenged Sheppard to a fight if he would agree to box.

"I said, 'OK, whatever, let's just get this out of the way,' " Sheppard said. "I hit him with a solid punch on the chin and he fell out. I kicked him once and someone came and broke it up.

"That kid became one of my best friends."

Fighting and wrestling became outlets for the frustrated Sheppard. When he was 13, Sheppard's mother, Andrea Sydnor, developed multiple sclerosis.

"She's been the most influential person in my life," Sheppard said. "She kept up with all of my matches and was right there at the mat watching.

"She was a very strong woman, a head nurse, before developing multiple sclerosis. Training kept my mind off of her troubles and made me better."

Chris Wiatt has played a big part in his development, serving as father figure and coach. Wiatt, who runs the CageFest shows, guided Sheppard at Menchville and trains him for MMA bouts.

"He was a street fighter when I met him, but he hasn't done that since 11th grade," said Wiatt, now the wrestling coach at Smithfield High. "He's channeled his aggressiveness into training and is proof that this sport can change lives.

"George has always been a tireless worker."

Wiatt remembers placing Sheppard and his other three captains on the mat at Menchville. Each was required to stay out until one of the other 40 wrestlers took them down.

None felled Sheppard. He got takedowns on each teammate as many as three times, lasting two hours and 120 challenges.

"None of the other captains lasted 15 minutes," Wiatt said. "George just refused to quit."

Sheppard parlayed that hard work into the 2007 Group AAA 160-pound title as a senior, jumping into Wiatt's arms following the victory. He earned NAIA All-American honors wrestling for Campbellsville University in Kentucky as a freshman, but had already caught the MMA bug.

He fought a couple of times before heading to Campbellsville, and a couple of more times last summer. His biggest win was a first-round knockout of Brodie Leap at CageFest V in Roanoke last August.

It also was typical. Giovanni Lemm - an MMA trainer and fighter who will emcee Saturday's card - said Sheppard simply came out whaling before getting the first-round knockout.

"He doesn't even know proper striking offense yet," said Lemm, who has helped train Sheppard. "When he does, he'll be even more dangerous.

"I'm beyond impressed with his natural ability, but he wants to learn. He's not shy about asking you to 'Show me that again' when you're instructing him."

Sheppard admits he has a lot more MMA to learn: about kicking, fighting in the clinch and jujitsu submission techniques. But he plans to patiently work on adding each weapon to his arsenal, so he left Campbellsville in December to focus full-time on MMA training.

"If he goes to the right school and commits his life to training, I think he'll become an Ultimate Fighting Championship champion," Wiatt said. "He the best natural athlete I've ever coached."

While adding to his repertoire, Sheppard seems content to win with his fists, just as he did as at Courthouse Green. He uses his takedown defense - the one that once warded off 40 Menchville wrestling teammates - to keep the fight standing so he can punch.

He expects his professional debut Saturday to be decided by a punch.

"I love going for the knockout," said Sheppard, who will fight Daniel Milstreed in a 155-pound bout. "That's why I'm called 'Lights Out.' "

CageFest Xtreme: All In

WHAT: Professional mixed martial arts cage fighting.

WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday.

WHERE: Constant Center in Norfolk.

NOTEWORTHY: The highlight of the 10-bout card features former UFC standout Drew Fickett against Virginia native Kyle Baker at 160 pounds. Former Menchville High wrestling state champ George Sheppard makes his pro debut at 155 against Daniel Milstreed.